Winter menu – a sandwich for the soul

I mentioned in option 1, slow cooking a whole chicken, that I had a “takeaway” chicken idea for the weekend. If there are four in your bubble then you might want to consider slow cooking a whole chicken just for this purpose, lets be honest, it doesn't take a great deal of effort, nor break the bank either. I'd recommend too that you use the star anise option in the cavity, the flavour is divine. You'll also produce lots of moist chicken which shreds very easily, it almost melts before your eyes.

We've already had chicken soup for the soul – now here's a chicken sandwich for the soul – I have it on good authority that this is the best ever!

Way back when I'd slow cooked and stripped a chicken just before visiting the kids – big kids - and decided to take the chicken with me - some delicious bread and when I say delicious bread I mean a loaf (or may be two) that can be sliced into doorsteps. I've never seen food disappear as quickly for a long time.

Who likes what?

It wouldn't be a sandwich without the extras, here are my

suggestions and it is not an exhaustive list!

Avocado, sliced or mashed to suit, with lemon

juice

Crispy bacon – and bits are better!

Good quality mayo

Beef tomatoes, sliced thinly

Beetroot relish or slices if you prefer

Any salad item you love – spring onions, shredded

iceberg lettuce

capers, cornichons

A slaw of your choice – here's an Asian

recipe that will compliment your anise infused

shredded chicken

Asian Coleslaw

110g white cabbage, finely sliced – approximately

one third of a medium size cabbage

1 carrot – peeled and sliced with a

julienne peeler

1 spring onion – 15g finely sliced

if you want to create a basic slaw stash then

double the amounts given above

3-4 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp caster sugar

Half tbsp rice wine

2 tbsp lime juice

1 tbsp peanut butter

Half tsp chilli powder

4 tbsp fresh coriander

Combine all the above ingredients except the fresh coriander.

Marinade for at least an hour – 2-3 is better still!

Just before serving strain off the excess liquid, stir in the coriander and serve!

A happy afterthought that turns into a huge hit!

Now for the treats …

Winter menu – the “takeaway” ideas

 the choice is yours!

So many of us love pizza, probably because it's easy but most importantly there's a topping to suit everyone.

My favourite style of pizza is a calzone – you know the one I mean, you cover the whole base with sauce then half the base with toppings of your choice and fold it – it always reminds me of an Italian version of a Cornish pasty – which is meant to be a huge compliment to both iconic delicacies!

You can of course buy a ready-made pizza so there's nothing to do at all. If however you want to build your own and/or give your “bubble” a chance to create a masterpiece then the best place to start is at the beginning and the base, or more accurately, the dough. You can buy a ready-made base if you prefer but I'd definitely recommend you try this method.

I have the answer … The Northern Dough Co. gives you two individually wrapped balls of dough each giving you a 12 inch pizza whether classically flat or folded into a Calzone. The dough is the best texture, not too sticky and after lightly dusting your surface with flour it does exactly what it says on the box – you can roll, push, cajole and persuade into your shape of choice. The dough comes ready frozen so check out your freezer aisle. You can defrost in your fridge and then roll out or you can microwave – whichever method suits you best. It really is divine dough!

Here's my own “outside the pizza box” wacky idea.

First things first - a tip - place your base on a mesh pizza mat or a pizza stone if you prefer – before you begin to “build” your pizza. If you don't you'll be very upset when you realise you've got to move your loaded base – too late was the cry - unless of course you're a champion juggler!

My “tomato sauce” is hoi sin and spring onion sauce and for the purpose of this experiment I used a ready made stir fry sauce - spread 2 tablespoons over the base.

I like to keep it simple and choose say three or four toppings and load half the pizza base.

You'll also need one egg, beaten to glaze and help glue the edges of the calzone.

Portabella mushrooms, peeled and finely sliced. I used six or 60/70g.

A handful of torn pieces of Mozzarella cheese – approximately 75g or half a ball.

Finally a sprinkle of pitted black olives, sliced – my handful is about 30g.

Let your inner Jackson Pollock go and create your own masterpiece!

Fold the unfilled half over and twist the edges to seal. Glaze the calzone with the beaten egg and bake in a pre-heated oven 220fan/240c/Gas 9. I baked mine for 12 minutes to suit my taste. Add another couple of minutes if you prefer a darker colour.

I know I'm very fond of saying that recipes are only meant to be a guide and so not set in stone – here's another - rules are meant to be broken.

Here's the next “takeaway” idea ...

Winter menu – option 6 – twice cooked roasties

I mentioned in Option 4 (Tarragon Quorn fillets with roast potatoes) that you can never have enough roast potatoes and suggested you set aside part roasted potatoes, foiled and fridged. You've heard of twice cooked chips? Here are twice cooked roast potatoes.

The easiest way is to show you, as a guide :

I peeled 3 medium sized Maris Piper

potatoes, weighing 250-270g each and cut into

a total of 16 roasties (4 to 6 depending on size of

potato) and roasted for 20 minutes in a

pre-heated oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6, then turned

and repeated. It doesn't matter that there's a variation

in colour

I'd already used half of the roasties to serve with

the Tarragon Quorn fillets supper earlier in the week

and set aside, wrapped in foil and fridged the remaining

half to “twice cook” to serve with my version of

the fish, chips and peas

The set aside half of the part roasted potatoes – 8

cut vertically gave me 22 “mini”

roasties ready to “twice cook”

Twice cooked roasties, ready to serve with the cod loin!

The cod loin and the potatoes will take 20 minutes to finish – turn the cod and the potatoes after 10 minutes. All that remains is to decide what sort of “pea” mood you're in and cook to coincide – enjoy!

It's definitely worth planning for “deliberate leftovers” - why make work for yourself!

The “takeaway” ideas up next ...

Winter menu – option 6, the “takeaway” and the “treat”

Option 6 is my version of fish, chips and peas.

Fish, chips and peas – my version

cod loin, baked in hoi sin sauce

twice cooked roasties (leftover roast potatoes)

petit pois or mushy peas

This idea comes at the weekend so it's acceptable to cheat!

Fish is expensive so you have to shop smart. I've found that Aldi's cod loin is the cheapest and there's no difference in quality to any high end supermarket. Here's the chapter and verse – in January 2020 280g of cod loin cost £3.79 and it's still the same price today. 250g of smoked haddock was £3.09 and has increased to £3.15 – certified and sustainable, responsibly sourced. I'd call that excellent price control!

For the cod loin, portion size depends on size of appetite. The cod loin will come in sealed packets. Before you are ready to cook lay kitchen roll in the casserole (or foil tray) you will use. Open the packet (you might want to use gloves, it's very fishy!) and place the loin fillets on top of the kitchen roll and then cover to absorb the moisture and dry the fillets. Once again you might want to dispose of all the fish packaging, gloves etc., straight into a suitable disposable bag. When you're ready to cook remove the kitchen roll and then pour the hoi sin sauce over the top, turn the fish, ensuring that the fillets are covered.

I've used two types of “ready to use” hoi sin sauce, both of which are designed to use as a stir fry sauce but are equally good as a coating sauce.

Here they are :

Sharwood's hoi sin & spring onion - 195g

Amoy - 120g

Now for the twice cooked roasties …

Winter menu – option 5 ...

... the either or!

A fast chilli served in a bowl, topped with a spoonful

of sour cream and baked bread on the side – or fries or

wedges if that's your bag!

There are several ticks here – first and foremost, it's fast so you can make ahead in a large frying pan on the hob, requiring re-heating only and adding any variations of your choice. It caters for meat eaters, veggies, vegans - for everyone's preference - steak mince, Quorn mince, or vegan mince. You can even make a posh version and use your slow cooker.

A word of warning – DO NOT slow cook tinned red kidney beans, they should be added at the final stage.

Posh Chilli

Serves 4

500g diced steak

A glug of rapeseed oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 cloves of roasted garlic paste or 2 cloves crushed

tsp = teaspoon

half tsp ground cumin

half tsp ground coriander

half tsp ground cinnamon

quarter to half tsp chilli powder (to taste, depends how much of a kick you like – I used a quarter tsp)

500g jar of passata

60ml sweet chilli sauce

390g can of red kidney beans, rinsed

optional extras :

150g small dice or sliced chorizo

sweet baby peppers, de-seeded and

finely sliced

Seal the diced steak in batches in a large frying pan using a drop of rapeseed oil then set aside in your slow cooker. If you're making the chilli on the hob then seal the steak mince – the frozen Quorn options can be added later so continue with the method below.

Gently fry your onion and garlic, using another drop of rapeseed oil if necessary. Add the spices and cook together so that the spices are able to release their deliciousness!

Add the passata and the chilli sauce and bring to the boil. Add to the sealed diced steak and then slow cook for 4 hours. Turn off and then leave to cool. Freeze in boxes to suit your needs – remember – you can pull out two boxes if you need to, rather than have to throw away from a larger quantity.

Defrost thoroughly in your fridge. Re-heat gently on the stove adding your kidney beans or any of the optional extras!

For the optional extras :

Use a large frying pan and fry the chorizo gently so that it releases its oil. Set the chorizo aside, leaving the oil in the pan.

Sauté the sliced, sweet baby peppers in the chorizo oil.

If you enjoy a spicy hit you can use mixed beans in a chilli sauce instead of ordinary red kidney beans.

Serve with rice if you like but I think it's fab in a bowl with a blob of sour cream served with some rustic bread of your choice on the side or with wraps with bowls of relish of your choice – mango would work well.

Freezing serves dishes like chilli or curry very well – the freezing process allows the spices to develop.

Here's a thought – you could double the recipe and serve as a supper or as part of a larger supper buffet - if the day ever dawns when we are able to entertain family and friends again – at least this recipe can be made ahead and frozen so you get to spend all your time with the gang!

Option 6, the “takeaway” and the “treat” - the end of this week!

Winter menu – options 3 and 4

 A mid week fast fix and a veggie treat!

For the mid week fast fix – option 3

A cheese muffin, split in half, toasted and buttered - top each

half with warmed smoked salmon flakes (140g) and

complete with two poached eggs

Cheese muffins freeze well, so a welcome addition to your shopping list for your freezer stash - smoked salmon flakes too (I took advantage of a 3 for £10 deal in M&S – 140g of honey roasted salmon flakes and two 100g packets of smoked salmon slices for my freezer) with eggs from the store cupboard.

For the veggie treat

Tarragon Quorn fillets with roast potatoes – option 4

Serves 4

4 frozen Quorn fillets

Quorn fillets cook from frozen and take 12 minutes on the hob. They are ideal for this dish since the sauce can be made ahead and so it takes 12 minutes to complete.

For the tarragon sauce

Bunch of spring onions, finely diced

1 tsp dried tarragon

Fresh tarragon – chopped – approx 2 tbsp

160ml/¼ pt/5 fl oz approx Vermouth or dry white wine

½ tsp of sea salt flakes or celery salt if you prefer

120ml/4fl oz double cream

a generous pinch of white pepper

drop of Rapeseed oil/Canola and a knob of butter

**optional variation in sauce see below

Heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan, add the onions and then dried tarragon. **Add the mashed garlic and stock paste at this stage. Add the Vermouth, let it bubble up, add salt and bring the liquid to the boil, add the cream and fresh tarragon and finally white pepper. The sauce can be made ahead to suit you.

Re-heat the sauce until a gentle simmer then add the Quorn fillets and cook for 12 minutes.

**You can vary your sauce by adding 2 cloves of roasted garlic paste, mashed into a Knorr chicken stock pot – it's delicious – if you like garlic!

Like I've said many times, roast more potatoes than you need – if your family love them as much as mine, they'll never be wasted! Part roast your potatoes ahead so that you only need 20 minutes or so to finish off in a pre-heated oven of course – 180fan/200c/Gas 6. Take out the part roasted potatoes that you don't need, wrap in foil and fridge for another supper.

Option 5 next ...

Winter menu – option 2

                                     Is a home-made soup of your choice – if you like the idea

of making the most of your slow cooked chicken, try

cream of chicken, there's a recipe below - for a veggie

alternative and my favourite, carrot, coriander and chickpea

check out the soup label

This is “chicken soup for the soul” – it makes you feel better when you're in need of comfort. Dice, box and fridge your leftover chicken - ready to add to your soup later.

Using a large saucepan, cover the carcass with water and any stock you've got - chicken or veggie - bring to the boil, turn it down to a simmer and let it do its magic for 30/45 minutes. Strain the stock, cool, cover and set aside until you're ready – you may find more chicken to add to your stash. Another rummage produces a few Charlotte potatoes that need using plus a large onion that's always in the veggie basket.

Here's the recipe :

Cream of Chicken Soup

Serves 4

30g unsalted butter

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 clove of garlic – preferably roasted

500ml chicken stock

250ml whole milk

celery salt and white pepper

diced chicken stash

garnish of grated nutmeg

50-75ml double (heavy) cream

leftover Charlotte potatoes, peel and cut

into small dice

a handful of frozen petit pois

Heat the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and sauté gently for 2-3 minutes – there should be no colour, season with celery salt. Add the stock and diced potatoes and simmer gently for 15 minutes then add the milk and simmer again for 10 minutes Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Blitz 2/3 ladles of the soup until thick and return to the pan. Add the cream, nutmeg, peas, ground white pepper and chicken - heat gently until piping hot.

Don't forget to warm the soup bowls.

If you don't have a huge amount of leftover cooked chicken adding the potatoes supplements and gives a hearty thick soup – a rib sticker as we say!

It's no big deal if you don't have the inclination to make a chicken soup - box and freeze your leftover chicken and likewise bag and freeze the strained stock, for another time, when you are in the mood!

Next up, options 3 and 4!

Here's the first winter menu – option 1

If you haven't already done it, dust off your slow cooker for option 1!

One of my old favourites – slow cook a

whole chicken – an “instant” mid week roast

and leftovers too

If you're serving four as a main then you'll get sufficient

chicken left to use for a soup

If you're serving two as a main then you'll get sufficient

chicken left to make a pie filling or shredded chicken

in pasta and a sauce using the stock

I mentioned checking out bargains and deals – you'll usually find a chicken! Rocket science it ain't but if you want to make the most of your good deal with a chicken then let the slow cooker take the strain and do the cooking for you - that's two massive ticks!

Slow Cook a Whole Chicken

1 chicken – between 1.5kg – 1.75kg

1 chicken stock pot

2 tsps of garlic paste or 1 garlic stock pot

generous sprinkle of oregano or garlic

Italian seasoning

Alternatively use two whole star anise in the cavity

and omit the herbs

Place your chicken in the slow cooker and mix the stock pot with the garlic paste and spread over the chicken. Sprinkle with the herbs or add the whole star anise to the cavity and omit the herbs. Switch your slow cooker to the low setting and leave it for 8 hours.

Strain the stock and freeze the resultant liquid gold, strip the chicken, keeping aside what you need and then bag and freeze the remainder.

One thing is for sure, slow cooking a whole chicken means you get the best value and you'll use every morsel – it's the perfect emergency food!

If you'd like another chicken idea check out the “takeaway” options for the weekend.

Option 2 coming up ...

I've decided …

to carry on where I left off, sort of!

6^th January is the first birthday on my list, the Wednesday as the lockdown is introduced. My

friend Phyl lives locally and I hadn't got much time – hokey pokey I thought! I'd given her Rocky Road for Christmas which was very well received so it made sense to stick to the theme – I had to work fast – fortunately it's not complicated and I reminded myself when I went on a rummage that I had these small, neat trays which would be perfect.

Here's the tray :

Here's the tray full of hokey pokey :

Here's it is, bagged, with a bow too :

I delivered the gift on Tuesday, phew, that was close.

I received a lovely email from Phyl - “Thank you so much for the hokey pokey it is delicious. I had a fab day x”

It might not seem like anything huge in the birthday gift department – it was meant to make my friend smile and to let her know I'd thought about her birthday. Job done I think!

Where possible within the constraints I'll continue to make stuff for gifts if they can be delivered safely.

I've decided too that there will now be a “treat for the week” included in my menu ideas … up next

Making your shopping list!

Not the most exciting of tasks I grant you but you won't be sorry and lets face it you have the time.

I confess that since the original lockdown and the infamous “loo roll gate” I've created what I call a war chest – not a huge one and to clarify I mean that if I've emptied a jar or finished any staple from my pantry, fridge, or freezer for that matter, I've added that item or ingredient to my next shopping list – instead of flying by the seat of my pants and too late was the cry - assuming that you are sticking to the rules! I don't mean that I've swept up every loo roll or tin of beans and taken more than I needed, quite the reverse.

I know that you'll think I'm bonkers but as I replaced said item I logged it in a journal along with the use by or BBE date and kept the journal, to hand, in the kitchen – it's quick and easy to refer to and I don't lose track of the contents of my store cupboard. If you decide to try this idea it's smart to keep your “stand-by stash” separate from your normal store cupboard, jars and tins have a habit of getting buried and you can never find what you'd swear was there!

Using this method all I need to do is check my log to make sure I've a back up. As with the previous lockdown we're going to find that random ingredients will vanish from the shelves without rhyme or reason.

It may well be outside your comfort zone but, particularly in light of the above, if you want to save what sanity you have left spend a little while planning your weekly meals. You can include a “takeaway” and treat yourselves to a supper at the weekend that doesn't require any cooking, just the oven and your timer!

You might also want to get into the habit of cooking, as an example, more potatoes than you need, deliberately creating leftovers, to include in another meal. You save time, money and achieve little or no waste – it's a win win!

Don't forget to check out bargains and deals that are out there – resist the urge to get carried away, a bargain or a good deal is only so if you'll use what's on offer – if you have the space to freeze so much the better. It might also be a good idea if you add your freezer purchases, as you shop, to the journal mentioned. It'll save you time and frozen fingers too.

Coming up – a little light relief and then some menu ideas.

Here we go again folks!

I think we've got used to lockdown over the previous months – now though we have the added challenge of being in the depths of winter and miserable weather so no benefit of even queuing in the sunshine. After the disappointment of the strangest Christmas and New Year too we need to give ourselves a kick in the posterior and get on with the next two to three months at the end of which, hopefully, we'll have had a shot in the arm – I've never ever looked forward to an injection – bring it on!

Down to business. During the last lockdown I gave you a weekly menu of suggested meals, the purpose of which was to give you ideas of your own that you could tweak to suit you. It's more difficult in the winter – we've probably over indulged at Christmas and New Year and so added to the misery is an extra pound or two (or kilo if you prefer).

January is a long month and normally challenging for the already stretched budget, so all the more reason to get organised.

Most of you know that I'm a list maker – here's where it comes into its own but first :

Check your freezer – I'll bet that you filled it with all sorts of goodies most of which have sunk to the bottom and you've no idea what's buried in there. I'm no different and have got used to biting the bullet and doing a stock check. What I loathe and detest is that rummage into the depths and finishing up with fingers I cannot feel. Here's my tip – pull out a large portable freezer bag and don a pair of rubber gloves then empty your freezer contents into the portable bag, check as you go. There'll be gremlins that are too late to save so sadly you'll have to commit bits to the freezer burn mountain. Now you've rotated your stock and discovered stuff you'd forgotten you can use your freezer the way it's meant to be used and create meals using the contents!

Do exactly the same with your store cupboard and/or pantry. Check dates and be brave.

Now you're ready to make your shopping list!

My version - photo guide

Here they are :

shallots, finely diced sweated

with the garlic and sweet paprika

add the cheese, potato and parsley

ready to go!

with the lattice top and egg washed

baked and ready to inhale!

Coming up – here we go again folks!

The lattice pastry photo guide

If you're a novice then the best way of mastering the technique is to practice and use leftover puff pastry and follow the guide below – you're not under any pressure and it's not as difficult as you might think :

Flour your surface and roll out the pastry – you want at least 10 x 1cm strips for the practice run – you can continue and make it larger if you wish.

Place a strip of baking parchment on your surface. Glue the parchment in place with small pieces of pastry in each corner – it will stop the parchment sliding.

Lay six strips vertically then fold

back alternate strips – lay another strip horizontally

and replace the folded back strips

fold back the opposite three vertical strips

and repeat – lay another strip horizontally and

replace the folded back strips

keep folding back and alternating the strips

until you've created what looks to me like a portcullis!

It might sound complicated but I assure you it isn't and it's much easier to have a go when you don't need to produce an end result. All you're using is leftover pastry and it doesn't take a lot. I scaled it down in the photographs deliberately – it's easier to control.

When you decide to create it for real use a beaten egg to glue your strips as you are building your lattice – obviously it'll be on top of your filling anyway but it'll help keep the shape. Don't forget to measure the length of your strips – adding 10cms to whatever size pie dish you're using – for example, 23cms + 10cms – 33cms to give you overlap of 5cms each side of the dish to trim and tuck down into the pie. Finally egg wash and bake!

There are photos of my version up next …

Cheesy Lattice Pie – my version

I used shallots because I had them and they needed to be used. You can use whatever you fancy and what you might have to hand. Sweet paprika is a delicious spice originating from the Szeged region of Hungary. It's versatile – useful in curries, casseroles, soups and in any dish where you want colour and a little sweetness. Comté (aka Gruyere de Comté) is a wonderful cheese that melts easily and so perfect in any dish that requires “ooze”! It has a buttery, roasted nut and slightly sweet flavour. I had both ingredients in my cupboard and my fridge. Finally I've reduced the size of the pie to 23cm x 23cm and the pastry accordingly. A tip - Asda sell their own brand of puff pastry sheets, larger than the 320g norm – 375g.

You'll need a non stick wok – 28cms/11” - it makes life so much easier!

400g shallots, finely diced

a knob of unsalted butter and a glug of rapeseed oil

2 garlic cloves, crushed or roasted

1 tsp sweet paprika

200ml milk

1 heaped tsp of plain flour

celery salt and black pepper

600g Charlotte potatoes, cooked and finely diced

250g of grated cheese – I used Comté and Mature Cheddar

generous sprinkle of dried parsley

375g of puff pastry – a ready to use sheet

will be perfect

beaten egg for egg wash

Sweat the shallots gently for 5 minutes – technical term “sweat” i.e. the shallots shouldn't have colour, add the garlic and sweet paprika, celery salt and black pepper.

Sprinkle the flour over the shallots and combine. Gradually add a glug of milk and mix, creating a roux sauce. Repeat and cook out until all the milk is absorbed into the roux. Add the cheese, potatoes and parsley and cook gently for 5 minutes.

Grease a pie dish or a foil tray 23cms x 23cms and transfer the filling, set aside to cool.

Lightly flour a surface and roll the pastry – you're aiming for 33cms - or large enough to cover your pie dish – 23cms dish size plus 10cms overlap – 5cms either side. Cut your pastry into 12 2cm strips – you'll need six vertical and six horizontal. Thread the pastry onto your pie dish to make a lattice effect keeping the joins nice and tight. Seal the edges of the pie by pressing down on the pastry with a fork. Brush the top of the pie with your egg wash and bake for 25/30 minutes.

Pre-heat the oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6. Your ingredients are cooked – you're cooking the lattice pastry and re-heating the base – check after 25 minutes – may need another 5.

For those who'd like to know how to create the lattice pastry, there's a photo guide up next.

Each to their own as they say …

I think this is a confused recipe. It was going well until the 400g of chicken style Quorn pieces. I should explain myself. As a vegetarian I use certain Quorn products regularly and think their range is great. What I'm not so keen on, as in this case, is including them in a recipe where they aren't needed. An ingredient “chicken style”?

I don't think the addition of a product that's whilst vegetarian, is designed to have the texture of chicken, fits - I'd have used potato instead. If you want to make a pie using Quorn chicken pieces which is intended to replicate exactly that ingredient then make a Quorn “chicken” and mushroom pie – the two are meant to be together in a delicious sauce. Quorn is made from a natural fungus, fermented and into a mycoprotein so lends itself to mushroom. It takes on whatever flavours you use in your cooking which is why it's such a versatile product.

This is a large pie – nearly Desperate Dan level and a tendency I think to be a little dry, not a good look for a pie filling.

Moving on to the pastry - unless you're familiar with creating a lattice then the description in the method of how to achieve it is poor – I have this vision of you covered in flour with a tape measure or a ruler and finally screwing it all into a ball and lobbing it at the wall!

It doesn't give you servings – it's either four large or six standard. It does freeze well.

I feel guilty for criticising but I owe it to you to point out the downside to any recipe.

Now it's time for me to step up and back up my mouth! As always my aim is to make life easier – what follows is my version of a cheesy lattice pie and hopefully the recipe is comprehensive.

Cheesy Lattice Pie

If you follow the blog you'll know that I have this addiction to pies and cheese, potato and onion versions in particular, which is probably why this caught my eye.

Here's the recipe, verbatim, from The Vegetarian Society :

For the lattice top

500g vegetarian ready rolled or block

puff pastry

For the filling

500g leeks, finely sliced and washed

1 tbsp olive oil

25g vegetarian margarine

1 tsp paprika

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 tsp plain flour

200ml milk

100g vegetarian cheese, grated

400g vegetarian cream cheese

400g chicken style Quorn pieces

50g sun-dried tomato, diced

1 tsp fresh thyme or parsley, finely chopped

50g frozen peas

For the glaze

1 egg beaten

Method

Pre-heat oven to 160fan/180c/Gas 4.

To make the filling, gently melt the margarine with the oil in a frying pan and fry the leeks for 5 minutes then add the paprika and garlic. Sprinkle on the flour whilst stirring to create your sauce.

Add the milk a little at a time whilst stirring. Add the grated cheese, cream cheese, Quorn, sun dried tomatoes, herbs and peas. Cook for 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning as required. Place your filling into a pie dish, 25cm x 25cm. Allow to cool.

On a lightly floured surface roll out the pastry until it is 40cm x 40cm or large enough to cover your pie dish with at least 10cm spare around the edge. Cut your pastry into strips 3cm across. Thread the pastry on your pie dish to make a lattice effect keeping the joins nice and tight. Seal the edges of the pie by pressing down on the pastry with a fork. Brush the top of the pie with your glaze and bake for 45 minutes in the pre-heated oven.

Each to their own as they say – anything with cheese and I loved the idea of a lattice pastry top … hmm

Christmas 2021

If I'm grateful for anything during this desperate year we've all been having it's for the packages - or boxes if you prefer - idea – I know it's not new, neither is it rocket science but out of it has come lots of joy and smiles so a huge result. It has changed the way I think about Christmas gifts and I'll definitely be repeating it next year.

I know you'll think I'm bonkers but bear with me.

If you've made your own gifts too and have had similar thoughts then let me pass on a tip – create a Christmas folder for yourself. Keep all your ideas, the lists you make, basically every scrap of paper – from beginning to end. It matters not whether you use them when the time comes – what does matter is that you are reminded of what you did create and how well received your gifts were, you'll be sorry if you don't. You might also want to take advantage of Christmas boxes and kit in the sales?

I did not expect such great feedback which was wonderful and it made me smile too!

Back to normal guys – remember The Vegetarian Society and the “Online Cookery Classes”? In addition to the cheesecake I mentioned I'd seen a Cheesy Lattice Pie which took my fancy … it's up next or at least my version of it.

I wish everyone a happy, healthy and safe 2021 and I never ever thought I'd be looking forward to a shot in the arm!

A Christmas gift!

In a brief moment during the summer when we were able to socialise outside I saw my friends from the USA albeit briefly.

My friend brought with her a recent gift and what a vast tome! Here it is :

 

I was warned at the time not to buy it – now I know why – a wonderful Christmas gift and I've promised myself time out to really savour (sorry about the pun) this beautiful book. I should say that there are 958 pages and the anticipation of making my way through is exciting to say the least.

During our regular email exchanges leading up to the holidays, my friend in the USA said she was using recipes from the book for a pre-Christmas Dinner – here are her comments :

from her partner … “it was the best tenderloin he has had in his life”. To clarify - what the USA call tenderloin we in the UK call fillet.

My only complaint with the book is that I sometimes have difficulty finding what I remember reading on my first attempt.

My friend's complaint about the difficulty in finding stuff reminded me of my golden rule. If I'm trawling through a new cookery book I always follow the same pattern – I have small coloured (post-it style) markers and use them to flag recipes that I'm interested in – I know I'll never find what I'm looking for later – it's quicker and you don't get frustrated! It doesn't matter if you flag a recipe you then change your mind – with 958 pages it's the easiest way to remember what caught your attention. I passed on my tip!

She replied … Oh and by the way, thanks for the coloured marker tip … I have some and just never thought of using them. I have stupid torn pieces of paper marking pages. Colour coding will be great.

Another idea – has just occurred. This is a huge book and it won't be easy to prop the book to use a particular recipe – it's far too heavy and will eventually, with use, damage the spine. Here's a thought - photograph a recipe :

 

I used my tablet for the photograph – you can

either use your tablet for easy access or print out the

recipe if preferred

In addition to protecting the book I ask the obvious question - are you a messy cook? Sticky fingers when you're flustered and it's too late, your beautiful book is spoilt!

Coming up – hints and tips for next year

The cheesecake and the doorstep delivery

As you know from recent posts I'd made the salted caramel cheesecake … there's only one problem when you've “road-tested” a dessert that has a limited lifespan you need to give it away, consequently my deliveries increased!

The doorstep delivery began and I realised quickly that the best feedback comes from random taste testing.

I posted the comments after delivery of the first two slices - here's what happened with the rest :

a slice each to my friends who'd had a package

as a gift. One friend couldn't indulge but her husband could …

… the next day – I didn't tell him he'd got cheesecake

• he has a smile on his face and uttered “mmm mmmm mmmmm”.

• Thank you x

I collected my meat order from the butcher and on my

way home popped in to say good morning to the other recipient …

“that was the best cheesecake I've ever tasted”

another slice to my best friend and running buddy when

I delivered her Christmas package – I knew she'd share

the cheesecake with her daughter …

… message received later that day – “absolutely

scrumptious”

later that week, on a run – the cheesecake was

mentioned again - “your best dessert ever”

My intention was to make people smile and I think I did.

I have a feeling that the cheesecake will be back – it would be a great addition to a summer gathering – hopefully we'll be able to celebrate by then!

Next … a Christmas gift

After Christmas …

I delivered the first package on the 8^th December. It worked out better than I'd expected – everyone is so busy rushing around with last minute lists that they don't have time to cook or organise food so the delivery of the package gave bits and pieces to create a supper or a lunch with sweet treats to follow. Who'd have thought that cheese scones would be so popular, they aren't exactly what I'd call festive fare but may be that's the secret of the scone and a cheese version in particular! The relish had a part to play and I suppose produced what I'd call a posh ploughmans.

Neither was I prepared for the reactions and am very happy to report that the idea was a success. The next two packages were delivered on Monday 21^st December and soon after I received the following :

“Thank you so much – your cranberry and onion relish

is delicious and perfect with cheese, ham and pork pie.

As for the cheese scones my Grandson loves them and

has already ordered two for lunch tomorrow”

On the sweet side, Rocky Road always seems to be popular but the standout has been the tiffin – what I'd consider to be an old fashioned treat, then I noticed that a well known supermarket had pinched my idea – how rude! The only difference being they added Christmas Trees made out of chocolate to the top – too much chocolate!

I'm waiting for feedback on the last package delivery, which looks more like a traditional hamper – have a look :

 

Here's a Rocky Road delivery – you can make the smallest of gifts look pretty :

When I had the Brown paper packages … Christmas Box idea I didn't realise it would require the planning and organisation that it did, probably because what began as a gift for Margaret but then grew into four more! In addition to which there were the smaller one off gifts.

Further news to follow …